SEPTEMBER 24, 1947

NEW YORK, Tuesday—There was interesting reading in an item which appeared in the paper a few days ago.
The Governor of the State of New York, spending a Sunday at his country home in Pawling, had to give instructions to the
state police to keep out visitors, mainly women I imagine, who had come to tell him
how much they desired the continuance of the Child Care Centers!

The Mayor of New York City not only received the delegations when they went to him, but promised to do what
he could to keep the centers open, and he is doing it. But the Governor of the State
couldn't be disturbed. Perhaps he has forgotten, or never really needed to know, that
some children cannot get proper care if their mothers have to go to work and there
is no place where they can be well cared for during those working hours.

Of course, the centers were started in depression days and I suppose women should
now stay at home and not go to work. But the Governor may overlook the fact that though
the depression is over, living costs are unusually high and it may be necessary for
the mothers to go to work if the children are to be fed.

The Republicans are very happy at present to be able to accuse the President and the administration of causing the high prices. We should remember it was under
great pressure from the people themselves that OPA was abolished and rationing removed.
Many of us thought at the time that it was a very great mistake, and now I think it
has been proved that controls should have been retained until production had increased.

Nevertheless, the Republicans were not the ones to raise their voices in protest against
the removal of controls. That was done by certain groups within the Democratic Party.

I always thought it was entirely understandable that the citizens, as a whole, should
want to be rid of controls. Nothing irritates us so much in this land of the free
as being told what we can do and cannot do. The labor unions have demonstrated this
for us many times. Individual unions and groups of unions in the past have told their membership what they would like them to do politically, but the membership
seldom responded in the expected manner.

We just seem to be a nation of contrary people. I often wonder what the Communists
would do with us if they ever did come into control!

Now since the first of the year, however, the Republicans have been in power in Congress
and we haven't reduced our troubles. They have been growing steadily worse. That can't
be the fault of the present administration because Congress could take hold and correct
all of the grave mistakes which the administration might suggest. In fact, Congress
can initiate any reforms that it chooses and if the Republicans know the answers to
what should be done today, it is up to them to do it. It might even get some support
from Democratic ranks.

E. R.

(WORLD COPYRIGHT, 1947, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.; REPRODUCTION IN PART OR
IN WHOLE PROHIBITED.)